Hello Again
by GilmoreBenson14
Summary: An EO fanfic about Elliot returning and finally falling in love with Liv. Begins in early season 16. Rated M so I can go wherever the hell I want to with it;)
1. Hello Again

Chapter 1-Hello Again

*Olivia's POV*

I hung up the phone and it fell to  
the ground. After picking it up, I grabbed my jacket off the back of my chair  
and ran out of my office. I only stopped to tell Fin he was in charge. I  
sprinted out the door and down the stairs, not wanting to wait for an elevator.  
I finally got outside after what seemed like forever and got into the squad car,  
turned on the siren, and proceeded to speed through the streets of NYC, headed  
for Mercy General Hospital. I bursted through the hospital doors, bound for the  
front desk. A woman greeted me.

"Good morning, mam. How may I help you?"

After catching my breath I responded,

"I received a call that my son,  
Noah Benson, was brought here."

She smiled and said, "Room 232. Just take  
those stairs up then hang a left around the corner. It'll be the 3rd room on  
your right."

"Thank you," I replied.

When I arrived in his room, he was  
asleep. He slept so peacefully. The room was just quiet enough for me to hear  
his tiny breaths as he steadily inhaled and exhaled. Tubes and wires were hooked  
up all over his body. I've never felt as helpless as I did in that moment.  
Caught up in my thoughts, I failed to notice when a nurse entered the room.

"Ms. Benson," she said and I snapped back to reality.

I turned around and  
both of our faces dropped simultaneously. The nurse was Maureen Stabler. Boy had  
she grown up.

"Liv!", she said, proceeding to embrace me. I hugged her back,  
amazed by the beautiful woman she'd become.

"How are you, sweetie?", I  
asked.

"I'm well. Thanks for asking! I'm working here for my second year as  
an RN and life is great. I recently got engaged to the love of my life, Dominic,  
and we're planning for a wedding next June. I moved into an apartment on the  
lower west side and just got a dog named Sadie."

Oh my God. Little Maureen  
Stabler is getting married, living on her own and working. I am old.

"Wow,  
Maureen! I'm so happy for you! Congratulations on all of your  
accomplishments!"

"Thanks!", she replied. "How are you, Liv?", she asked.

"I'm great! I mean despite the fact that my son is in the hospital, life is  
going well. I couldn't be happier to be honest."

"Congratulations on him, by  
the way. My dad told me all about you adopting him. I'm so happy for you.", she  
replied.

"Your dad?", I asked. How the hell did he know?

"Yea! I guess  
he had lunch with Captain Cragen a few months back."

"Oh", I replied.

"Well," she said "I better get back to work. Noah is doing well, better than  
we expected, so my work here is done. Bye, Liv!"

"Bye, Maureen."

It was  
now noon and, having skipped breakfast, the word starving didn't even come close  
to explaining the pain in the pit of my stomach. I kissed Noah's forehead,  
inhaling his sweet scent, and told him I'd be right back. I walked out of the  
room and down the hall toward the doors. At this point, drywall sounded  
appetizing. Luckily, there was a Subway across the street. I walked over,  
ordered a turkey footlong, and sat down to eat. Ten minutes later, I was half  
done with my sandwich and Maureen walked in, followed by Elliot. Holy crap.  
What am I going to say to him? How am I supposed to socialize with him? Of all  
the places I could have gone for lunch, I picked this one. I nonchalantly  
continued to eat, acting as though I had no idea they were there. I overheard  
them order their food and receive it. They sat down. Maybe they didn't notice  
me. Score one for Olivia.

Once again, I was brought back to reality by the  
voice of a Stabler saying, "Hey, stranger."

"Hi", I replied, smiling back at  
him.

Damn those eyes were captivating. A few seconds later, I found myself  
lost in his gaze. This would be a lot less awkward if his daughter wasn't there.  
But then again, he is married. That one little detail always happened to slip my  
mind.

"How are you?", He asked.

"Fine, thanks. Yourself?"

"I'm  
great, Liv, thanks."

Suddenly, Maureen was paged. My heart dropped, thinking  
it could be Noah. Elliot sensed my nervousness, as he always had, and grabbed my  
hand. I let him. I wasn't mad at him for leaving anymore. He had his reasons and  
I can't say they were bad ones. In all honestly, I probably would have left if I  
were in that situation as well. My mind snapped back to Noah until Maureen  
assured me it wasn't him. However, she did have to go. She kissed her father on  
the cheek and said "good bye" to us both. She then departed the restaurant.  
Elliot moved himself and his food to my table and said "And then there were  
two." He smiled and again, I was lost in his deep blue eyes.

"You look good,  
Liv.", he said, trying to make small talk.

I couldn't control the blushing  
that overcame my face. All I could do was smile.

"Liv," he said, "I'm  
sorr-"

"Stop," I interrupted him. "I forgave you in my heart a long time  
ago. You did what you had to do. I would have done the same thing in that  
situation. I'm just glad to see you again and to know you're doing well."

A  
single tear rolled down his face and he grabbed my hands across the table,  
squeezing them tightly. "God I missed you.", he whispered.

There was  
something different between us now. It was new. It was unexpected. It was sweet.

We finished eating and I told him that I had to get back to Noah. "Do you  
mind if I tag along? I'm dying to meet him.", he pleaded.

If he were any  
other guy, I'd say no. But he was Elliot. If it weren't for him, I probably  
wouldn't still be in SVU and most likely wouldn't have Noah. He's also great  
with kids, I watched him raise his own. Noah would love him and if this is  
headed in the direction I think it is, he's going to be a big part of Noah's  
life.

"Sure," I replied. "He'll love you," I said, smiling.


	2. My Boys

Chapter 2-My Boys

*Olivia's POV*

We crossed the street and entered the  
hospital. A few minutes later, I heard him crying. My heart broke. There was a  
sound sadness and pain in his cries. We finally got into the room and he reached  
his arms out toward me, begging me to pick him up. I melted at his request and  
quickly scooped him up into my arms, kissing the crown of his head and inhaling  
his sweet scent. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Elliot smiling. This, I  
thought, is true happiness.

*Elliot's POV*

She was a mom. And a damn good  
one at that. I always knew she'd make an amazing mother. The way she worked with  
kids on the job never ceased to amaze me. She is amazing. She doesn't know it  
yet, but Kathy and I got divorced the summer after the shooting. She told me  
that she couldn't be with a man who could shoot a 12 year old girl, much less  
trust her kids with him. I don't blame her. What I did was awful. But it was  
necessary. I took an oath to protect the people and that's exactly what I did.  
As for Kathy and I, our marriage was over long before we filed for divorce.  
Hell, it was over before she got pregnant with Eli, but we stayed together for  
his benefit. Now, however, it was in his best interest that we were happy apart,  
rather than miserable together. And hey, I've been in love with Liv since the  
day I laid eyes on her. Now, maybe I could act on those feelings. My thoughts  
were interrupted by the sound of her sweet voice.

"Do you want to hold  
him?", she asked.

My face lit up. "Absolutely," I responded.

She handed  
him over and the second he entered my arms, I melted. This little boy, I  
thought, would someday be my son. I smiled at the thought, hoping she was  
thinking the same thing.

*Olivia's POV*

The way they bonded amazed me. God  
I love both of them so much. Surely, Noah was my first priority but I needed to  
talk to El. I needed to know we were on the same page.

"Hey, El?" I asked him  
softly.

"Hey.", he smiled back.

"I think we should talk. Yanno, catch up?  
Re-acquaint ourselves."

"I couldn't agree more," he replied. "What do you say  
I take you out to dinner tonight?"

I blushed at the idea. "I'd love that," I  
said.

"Okay great. Well, go home and get ready. Dress nice. I'm taking you  
somewhere special."

Special. Elliot. Olivia. Going on our first date. Or at  
least I hope it's a date. Maybe I should verify that.

"Okay. Where should I  
meet you?", I asked, acting oblivious to his intentions.

"I'll pick you up at  
your place at 7," he smiled.

Usually I would break the ice and be more  
straightforward about dating. I'd say something like "so this is a date, right?"  
But something about the flirting that was going on between us really turned me  
on. And the way he interacted with Noah. That really turned me on too. We were  
almost playing a game. Both of us were playing hard to get, even though we both  
knew that either one could easily get the other.

"Okay," I smiled. I  
proceeded to grab Noah from him and kiss his head. I then placed him back in his  
crib and said "Good night, sweet boy. I love you so much. Be good. Mommy will be  
back tomorrow."

As I walked out of the doorway, I heard Elliot whisper,  
"Good night buddy. Thanks for putting a smile back on your mommy's face."

Damn he was good. He knew he had to win over Noah to get to me. After all,  
Noah is the man that rules my heart. But those two would have no problems  
getting along. He rubbed Noah's head, ruffling his hair and bid him farewell.

Elliot walked out of the doorway and grabbed my hand. Our fingers  
intertwined and fit perfectly, as though our hands were made to fit together. We  
both smiled. This was perfect. We were perfect.


	3. First Date

Chapter 3-First Date

*Elliot's POV*

I pulled up to her apartment building  
and pressed the button next to her name. I was dressed in a suit and tie and I  
couldn't wait to see her.

"Hello?", she said over the intercom.

"Hey.  
It's me."

"Hey you," she responded. "Come on up."

She buzzed me in and I  
walked down the hall, hopped on the elevator, and took it to her floor. When I  
arrived at her door, I did that cliché knock just to be cute. She opened the  
door and I had to stop my jaw from dropping to the floor. She had on a beautiful  
red halter dress. It was tight at the top and flowing toward the bottom. It  
stopped about two inches above her knees. Her hair was half up and half down,  
curled loosely. Her makeup was on point, accentuating her natural beauty. Long  
story short, she looked absolutely gorgeous.

"Hi," she said.

"Hi," I  
smiled back. "These are for you." I handed her a dozen red roses.

"Thank  
you, El. They're beautiful. Let me put them in a vase before we go."

She  
went to her cupboard, grabbed a vase, filled it with water, and put the flowers  
into place.

She grabbed her jacket and my hand, leading me out the door. She  
turned around to lock her door and a thought popped into my mind. I still hadn't  
told her that Kathy and I were no longer together. Surely, she already knew but  
not for sure. I wanted the night to be perfect so I figured I should tell her  
now.

"Liv," I said, "as much as I hate talking about other women when I'm  
with you, there's something you should know. Kathy and I filed for divorce the  
summer after the shooting. She said she didn't trust me, having killed a young  
girl. I just thought you should know. I mean if we're on the same page here,  
what we're doing right now would require me to not be married. We are on the  
same page, right?" I said

She heightened herself on her tip toes to level  
her face with mine, kissed me on the cheek, and whispered the word "yes" into my  
ear.  
We both smiled and walked back toward the elevator, our fingers  
intertwined.

*Olivia's POV*

We got to his car and he opened the door for  
me. What a gentleman. We drove to the Upper West Side and pulled into a parking  
lot lit by white lights. After parking the car, he got out and opened my door  
again, offering his hand to lead me out of the vehicle.

We arrived at the  
hostess. "Reservation for Stabler, please." "Right this way," she said.

She  
led us toward the back to a table secluded from the rest, perfect for some quiet  
and intimacy.

He pulled out my chair and allowed me to sit before taking his  
place at the opposite side of the table. He grabbed my hand and said "I'm really  
glad we're finally doing this."

"Me too," I said. "But there's a lot we need  
to talk about before we can really be together."

"I know," he said. "That's  
what tonight is for. We're gonna get all the answers for all the questions and  
we'll sort out as much as we can. I know you must have tons of questions for me  
so whenever you're ready, shoot."

"Okay," I said. "Why didn't you tell me  
you were leaving? Or respond to my calls, texts, and emails?"

"Liv, I didn't  
know what to do. I was leaving you. Leaving my partner, my best friend, and  
quite honestly the love of my life. I regret not telling you or talking to you  
about it more than you'll ever know. I am so sorry for what I must have put you  
through. I just couldn't face you after what I'd done and my heart couldn't take  
the look on your face when you learned I was leaving. It was one of my biggest  
mistakes and I will spend the rest of my life trying to make it up to you. I'm  
so sorry." He grabbed my hand and kissed it.

I blushed at his touch and  
smiled. "I forgive you," I said.

"So let's talk. I mean really talk. I know  
we both think we know everything about the other but let's each state five  
things we never would have known about each other. Deep things. Things that  
formed us as a person. Ladies first." He winked.

"Okay," I said.

"Number  
one...when you found out I was sleeping with Cassidy right after I was assigned  
to SVU, you told me 'I'm your partner. For better or worse.' That was when I  
fell in love with you.

Number two...when I found out you left, I went into  
an interrogation room just so I could cry.

Number three...Noah's mom was a  
rape victim who was later killed. That's why he's under my care. He became an  
orphan and the judge suggested that I take him in.

Number four...when I  
returned from my work undercover at Sealview, you asked me what happened in the  
basement. I told you nothing happened. That was a lie. He sexually assaulted me.  
He tried to force his penis into my mouth and he came extremely close. I was  
absolutely terrified.

Number five...last year I was kidnapped, taken hostage,  
beaten, tortured, and sexually abused for three days by a serial rapist named  
William Lewis. I pressed charges and he walked. A few months later, I received a  
call from him that he was holding a little girl hostage and the only way for me  
to save her was to go there on my own. So I did. And he touched me...all  
over...and we began a game of Russian Roulette. At one point I had a gun to my  
head. In the end, he shot and killed himself, his blood splattering all over my  
face."

Elliot was crying. Streams of tears were rolling down his face. He  
tightened his grip on my hands and all he could muster was "I'm so sorry." After  
gathering himself, he continued. "Liv, I am so sorry you had to go through all  
of that. I should have been here. No one hurts you when I'm around. I swear to  
you that I will spend the rest of my life taking care of you. I need you to  
trust in me because I'm going to protect you, even if you think you can protect  
yourself. I will never let anyone hurt you ever again. Do you understand me?" He  
asked looking into my eyes.

"Yes," I replied. "And I trust you with  
everything I am."

There were a few moment of pure silence. We were simply  
content in each other's presence.

"Your turn," I said, breaking the  
silence.

"Okay," he said.

"Number one...I have your badge number tattooed  
on my bicep.

Number two...I haven't seen Eli in over two years because his  
mother took custody of him and moved him to Arizona.

Number three...I kissed  
Dani Beck while she was filling in for you.

Number four...whenever one of us  
was hurt, we always held the other. The first time you held me, I fell in love  
with you.

Number five...I was going to come to your place the night Kathy and  
I first filed for divorce and I was going to tell you how much I love you and  
how badly I want you. Then she told me she was pregnant."

"Wow," was all I  
could say. Our hands gripped each other harder and our food came. We at in  
silence, each thinking about the five things we'd just learned about each other.  
We never dropped eye contact. We were lost in each other's gazes for the entire  
meal. When we were finished, he helped me out my coat on and ushered me out of  
the restaurant and into his car. We held hands for the entire car ride and he  
parked right outside of Central Park.

"Care to go for a little moonlit  
walk?", he asked.

"Nothing would make me happier," I replied.

We walked  
around the park for about an hour, our hands never leaving each other's grip.  
When the air became too cold, we went back to his car and he drove back to my  
apartment. He walked me up the stairs and to my door.

"Wanna come in?", I  
asked him.

"Sure," He said with a smile.

I went to my room and changed  
into more comfortable clothes. I brought out some sweats that I'd kept that were  
his. He always kept them at my place in case we had a late night case and he  
didn't feel like driving all the way home to Queens. He'd crash on my couch  
every now and then. He went into my bathroom and changed into them. I popped in  
a movie and we watched it together on the couch.

When the movie was over, he  
headed toward the door. I got up and walked over to him.

"Goodnight, Liv," he  
said.

"Good night, El," I replied.

He grabbed each side of my face and  
pulled me in for a tender and sweet kiss. Went we broke, he kissed my forehead  
and whispered "I love you."

I looked up into his deep blue eyes and said "I  
love you too. So much."

We embraced one another and he held me for a few  
short moments before saying goodbye and heading out the door. Boy was I going to  
have sweet dreams tonight.


	4. Sleep Nothing More

Chapter 4- Sleep. Nothing More.

*Olivia's POV*

I woke up the next morning to the sight of the sun beaming through my bedroom window. I couldn't get my mind off Elliot, or that kiss we had shared. Our first kiss. It was the most magical, passionate, tender, sweet, and comfortable kiss I'd ever shared with anyone, and I look forward to many more amazing kisses to come. My thoughts are interrupted by the ringing of my cell phone.

"Hello?"

"Liv. Hey. It's Nick. Listen, I know it's your day off but Fin called in sick and Rollins is out working another case and we are swamped. Is there any way you can come in today?"

"Sure. Let me call my nanny and I'll be there in half an hour."

"Thanks, Liv. See you then."

I hung up the phone and dialed Lucy's number.

"Hello?"

"Hey Lucy, it's Olivia. Is there any way you can watch Noah today? I just got called into the office at last minute."

"Olivia, I'm so sorry but I'm with some friends in the Hamptons all weekend. I can try to come bac-"

"No," I interrupted her. "I don't want to spoil your fun! I'll figure something else out. Have a great time with your friends!"

"Are you sure?"

"Yes."

"Thank you! Again, I'm so sorry!"

"There's nothing to apologize for, sweetheart. Talk to you soon."

"Bye, Olivia."

I hung up the phone and began to explore my options. I could take Noah to work with me. After all, I am the boss. But on the other hand, I prefer to keep him away from the squad room, especially on chaotic days. A little boy shouldn't be exposed to the things that I work with on a daily basis.

I thought of other people who might be able to watch him. Elliot's name eventually crossed my mind and I dialed his number. He answered on the first ring. I asked if he would mind watching Noah for the day and he happily agreed to do so, saying that he would "love to spend the day with him."

Twenty minutes later, Elliot arrived at my apartment and I left the two loves of my life to have their fun and I went off to work.

*Elliot's POV*

Noah and I had quite the day together. We went for a walk in Central Park, swung on the swings, played ball, and then went home to watch TV. I realized that I was quickly falling in love with this little guy. It's no surprise. He's just like his mother, and I fell in love with her within five minutes of meeting her. We became best friends quickly and I'd always wanted more, but my marriage held me back. This time around, I was free of any strings that could hold me down and I was determined to pursue a romantic relationship with Olivia Benson.

She arrived back home around 5 P.M. and I fixed dinner for the three of us. After we ate, we went into the living room and watched TV until about 8:00. Liv took Noah to bed and I began to gather my things. When she came out she asked, "What are you doing?"

"I'm just getting ready to leave."

"You're leaving?" She asked.

"Aren't I supposed to?" I replied.

"Not right now. At least you don't have to if you don't want to. I was hoping to spend a little alone time with you now that Noah is asleep."

I smiled, intrigued and excited by her invitation. She beckoned me over to the couch and I obeyed. We cuddled in silence as she flipped through channels to find something exciting to watch. Eventually she came across "The Sound of Music" which was playing on ABC Family. I knew it was her favorite movie. It always had been. We watched the movie and when it was over, I began, again, to gather my things.

As I was doing so, she came up behind me, wrapped her arms around my waist, and grabbed my hands, stopping me from what I was doing. "Stay," she said.

I turned around and she immediately sensed the confusion written across my face.

"I want you to. Please." She pleaded.

"Liv, I want to. I really do. But as tempting as that sounds, I need to be a gentleman. You deserve to be treated with so much love and respect and I don't want to spoil what we have by staying here tonight. I want to take this slow and when we do finally make love to one another, I want it to be the most magical and beautiful thing that either of us has ever experienced."

"Sleep," she said. "Nothing more. All I want is for you to hold me tonight. I agree that we need to take this slowly and take steps in this relationship as they come naturally. When the time is right, we will know. But I think that, having been in love for sixteen years, we're ready to sleep next to one another."

"Are you sure about this? I don't want to move any faster than you're comfortable with."

"El, I love you. I've loved you for forever. This evening has been amazing and I don't want it to end. So I'm asking you, please, will you just hold me tonight?"

"Yes. Of course I will." I said.

Liv, though independent, was fragile. I didn't want to hurt her in the least but if this is what she wants, what she needs, then I will happily hold her through the night.

She brought me another pair of sweats of mine that she'd kept. I went into the bathroom, changed into the sweats and walked out to see sitting up against the headboard of the bed, reading a book. The sight of Olivia in the glow of the lamp at her bedside was breathtaking. The way her eyes focused on the words she was reading and the way her forehead crinkled when she got confused by the story may just be the cutest thing I've ever seen. Everything about her amazed me. From the way her body moved when she walked to the way her nose crinkled when she laughed. The way she talked to a victim with sympathy and love never ceased touch my heart. She was the love of my life and I would do anything to make her happy.

*Olivia's POV*

He walked over to the bed and slipped under the covers. I placed my book on the nightstand and he extended his arm around my shoulders and I nestled my head into the crook of his neck. As he wrapped his arm around me more completely, I slid my hand up his torso, resting it on the left side of his chest. I snuggled in closer and laid my head on the right side of his chest. Our breathing became synchronized and I quickly fell asleep to the steady sound of his heartbeat.


	5. Happiness

CH. 5- Happiness

*Olivia's POV*

I woke up once again to the sight of a beautiful sunrise. Surprisingly, however, I was not awoken by the sound of Noah crying, and the strong pair of arms that were wrapped around my midsection the night before were no longer there. I walked out of the bedroom, down the hallway, and into the living room to find Elliot holding Noah and watching cartoons. My heart melted.

Sensing my presence, Elliot turned around, smiling.

"Good morning, beautiful," He said.

"Hi," I smiled back at him, proceeding to take my place next to him on the couch and we shared a quick kiss. It was almost instinctive, like we'd kissed one another every day like that for years.

He put his arm around me, pulling me in closer. Noah began reaching for my necklace and playing with the chain. I kissed his forehead saying "Good morning baby boy. How'd you sleep?" He laughed at my question as if I was telling a joke. He was such a happy baby and a beautiful one at that.

Elliot placed Noah in my lap, got up off the couch, and walked into the kitchen. "What do you two want for breakfast?" He asked, smiling. "El, we can order in or do cereal. You don't have to make breakfast." "I know," he said. "But I want to. So what do you want?" "Well," I said, "There's bacon and eggs in the refrigerator and I have some pancake mix in the pantry." "Okay, babe. I'll get right on that."

I placed Noah in his highchair and went into the kitchen. I walked up behind Elliot and wrapped my arms around his waist, laying my head against his back. He turned around to face me and cupped my face in his hands, bringing his lips down to mine. The kiss was slow and sweet, so full of love. Things quickened suddenly as he picked me up and placed me on the countertop, moving his lips to my neck. He found my pulse point and sucked hard. I uttered a low moan and tilted my head back to give him more access. I ran my hand up his lower back to the base of his neck, playing with the short hair there. I placed my other hand on his face, and brought his lips back to mine. I soon felt his tongue gliding across the seam of my lips and immediately parted them, granting him entry into my mouth. Our tongues sought out one another in an intimate dance and our hands moved up and down each other's bodies. "I thought we were taking things slow." I whispered, breathlessly.

"I can take things slow. I can take things incredibly slow." He laughed, sucking on my earlobe. We looked into each other's eyes and knew it was time to stop. He kissed me one last time, picked up the spatula, and flipped the pancakes. I poured Noah a cup of milk and went back into the living room to give it to him.

We had breakfast, it was delicious and then we took Noah to the park. While we were playing with him on the swings, Elliot broke the silence and asked, "What are you doing Saturday night?"

"Nothing," I replied. "Why?"

"I want to take you out. On another date. Maureen is off this weekend so she said she can watch Noah, if that's okay with you."

"That would be wonderful, El. I'd love that."

"Great!" He exclaimed. "I can't wait. I'm gonna go home and get ready for work. I love you, Liv," He said, kissing me goodbye.

"I love you too, El," I replied, kissing him back.

"Bye, little guy," he said, turning to Noah and kissing him on the forehead.

He walked away and I watched him disappear into the distance.

When we got home, I put Noah down and went to bed. The next morning, I woke up to a text that read: "Good morning, beautiful. I can't wait to see you tomorrow. I love you. Xoxo –El."

I smiled at the sweet gesture as I went into Noah's room to get him dressed for the day. After dropping him off at Lucy's house, I made my way to work.


	6. The First Time

CH 6: The First Time

*Elliot's POV*

Around 6:30 on Saturday night, I made my way up the elevator and found myself knocking on Liv's apartment door. She opened and once again, my jaw dropped to the floor. She had on a light blue dress with short sleeves and a plunging v-neck that graciously accentuated her beautiful breasts. Her hair was curled loosely and her face beamed brighter than the sun. We made our way out to my car and placed Noah in the backseat. We dropped him off at Maureen's place and left for our date. We ate at a romantic Italian restaurant in midtown and had desert at a bakery nearby the restaurant.

We went back to Olivia's apartment and as I attempted to kiss her goodnight, she whispered, "I want you. I need you. Touch me, Elliot."

At first I was puzzled by her request. We had decided to take things slow. "Sixteen years," she interrupted my thoughts, "I've wanted you for sixteen years. And you've wanted me for just as long. I want to show you how much I love you. I want to make love to you. Tonight. Please, Elliot. Make love to me tonight."

Without hesitance, I picked her up and she wrapped her arms around my neck and legs around my waist. I carried her down the hall and into her bedroom, laying her down on the bed, kissing every inch of skin that I could find. I moved my lips to her neck and she tilted her head back, granting me the access I needed to drive her crazy. Her hands drifted to my tie and removed it. She pushed my jacket off of my shoulders and her fingers began unbuttoning my shirt. I reached my hand around to her back and unzipped her dress. Soft moans were elicited on occasion by each of us, our arousals both growing. She began to unbuckle my belt as I slid her nylons down her legs, removing her high heels in the process. She unbuttoned my pants and I slipped out of them. We were now standing in front of each other, wearing nothing but underwear. I've never felt more love for anyone than I did for Olivia Marie Benson in that moment.

*Olivia's POV*

I was wet. I've never been wetter. I could feel my panties soaking between my legs. I noticed the tent in his boxers and became even more turned on. I walked toward him and he wrapped his arms around my waist, kissing me passionately, our tongues waltzing in perfect harmony. He unclasped my bra as I slid his boxers down his legs. He finally proceeded to take off my panties, removing the final barrier between his member and my core. He laid me back down on the bed and rolled on top of me. He slid one hand down my body while the other kneaded my breasts. He slipped two fingers into my core and began to move. I felt so full, so complete, and we were only getting started. He pleasured me to my first climax of the night as my core throbbed around his calloused fingers. Returning his attention to my face, we began to kiss again. I proceeded to move down to his member, taking it in my mouth, bobbing my head back and forth as he held my hair and caressed my breasts. After he came for the first time that night, we laid in silence for a few moments. I then whispered into his ear, "Make love to me, Elliot. Please." He placed the tip of his length at the entrance of my core and slid in. I'd never been with someone so…big. My body took a moment to adjust to his size. I urged him to move and he obeyed, finding a steady thrusting pace. He sucked on one of my breasts while kneading the other, allowing his other hand to get lost in my hair. We made love slowly and tenderly, both mustering all the passion and love we had for each other into this beautiful act. We orgasmed in unison and his body collapsed onto mine. He moved off of me so that we were in a spooning position and wrapped his arms around my middle, resting his head on my shoulder. He whispered "I love you" into my ear and I smiled, whispering "I love you too," back to him.


	7. I'm Never Letting Go

Chapter 7- I'm Never Letting Go

*Elliot's POV*

I was awoken the next morning by the feeling of her tossing and turning in my arms. I heard soft whimpers escaping from her mouth and she began moving frantically. "No!" she shouted. "Stop." "Don't." I finally overcame my stupidity and realized she was having a nightmare. I grabbed her shoulder and shook her. "Liv," I said, "wake up." She finally woke up and clung to me, crying. After sobbing in my arms for a few moments, she looked up at me and whispered, "I'm sorry."

"Talk to me," I said. "Let me help you."

I moved us back down to lay and she snuggled up to me, still weeping. "I haven't had a flashback or nightmare in a really long time. Honestly, if I'd have known this would happen, I wouldn't have had you over. I'm still broken, El. I'm broken from being the product of a rape, having a mother who neglected me, being sexually assaulted at Sealview, watching you leave me, and being sexually assaulted two more times by William Lewis. I've been through so much and I want to let you in and let you help me because you're the only person in my life who I've ever trusted and, although I forgive you for leaving, it's not something that I can easily forget. I don't want to resent you but, at times like these, I do. Don't get me wrong, I love you with everything I am, but it's going to take a while for me to fully let you back into my life. Last night was amazing but I think we did sort of rush it. I need to know that you're not going anywhere this time. I thought I'd come to terms with things but this nightmare just proved to me that I haven't. I don't know what it's going to take for me to fully trust you again but I hope that spending time with you and getting to know you better will do the trick. I also need to know that you won't leave for Noah's sake. He's just over a year old and he's already been through hell with his mother dying and his father being an imprisoned rapist. If you want to be with me, you need to be with him too. For 15 years, you were the man that held the first place in my heart, but now that Noah is in the picture, he's the first man, well, boy. I need to know that you're going to love him and care for him. You're going to be the closest thing he has to a father and I won't let you let him down. He's going to look up to you and want to do the things you do. Your actions are going to form who he becomes, and nothing would make me happier than to have a son who acts like Elliot Stabler does. I need to know you won't leave me. My heart couldn't take it. I don't think I'd survive. I'm putting myself into a position of extreme vulnerability and I'm going to let you into our lives, but if you hurt me or my son, I swear to God I will hunt you down and castrate you." I laughed at her threat.

"Olivia, look at me." She turned toward me, fixing her beautiful brown eyes on mine. "I love you. I have loved you from the moment I laid my eyes on you. You keep me going. Even when we were apart, you were my reason for continuing on this crazy journey called life. I don't know much about Noah, but I've already fell in love with him, simply because he reminds me of you. I can tell that you've raised him by the way he smiles even when he falls down and has no fear whatsoever. I know that my leaving hurt you, but I'm not going anywhere. I don't know what it will take to prove that to you, but I will do whatever that might be. You and I are meant to be together. We both come from horribly broken pasts and we've been on quite the journey together. I will care for you and that little boy. I will protect you. I will love you. I will never leave you, no matter how hard things get. Being with you won't be easy all the time. We're going to fight. We're going to face obstacles that neither of us know how to overcome. Some nights, you're going to make me sleep on the couch. That's okay. No matter what happens between us, no matter how bad things seem, I will never run away. You're it for me, Liv. This is our happy ending. I know it's hard for you but give me your heart. I will put the pieces back together and then I won't let anyone break it again. I need you, Olivia. I cannot live without you. It took me too long to figure that out and I am so sorry for that. I'm sorry that I left you, without saying a word. I'm sorry that I didn't have the guts to come and find you sooner. I'm sorry that I wasn't there to rescue you when you were kidnapped and abused. That breaks my heart more than you'll ever know. And as for Noah, I will love him with my whole heart and soul. I will be his role model and the person he aspires to be. I will teach him how to love and how to cherish every precious moment he has. When he's old enough, I'll tell him our story and how much I love his mother. This is your happiness, Liv. You've wanted two things for as long as I can remember: a child and me. You have both so relax. I'm here. I will hold you through the nightmares and I will be there to tell you everything is okay when you wake up from them. You are the strongest woman I know and I respect that so much, but even the strongest people need help. That's why I am here. To love, protect, and help you at all times, no matter what. You're going to be stubborn as usual and tell me you can take care of things on your own. Even then, I won't let you push me away. I am in this for the long haul. I am going to make you my wife and Noah my son. I am going to buy us a house with a dog and a big backyard with a pool. I don't want a fling with you. I want a lifetime. I love you."

She was now crying again and leaned in, placing a tender kiss on my lips. "I love you too," she said. "I know this seems unrealistic, but everything you just said confirmed why I love you and why I now know that it's time to let go of the past and look to a future with you. I'm giving you my heart, don't break it. I'm trusting you with my son, don't let him down. I want to be your wife when the time is right and I want you to become Noah's father. I want the house and the dog and the big backyard with a pool. I want a lifetime with you, Elliot and I want that lifetime to start right now. You are everything I've ever needed and I know that you won't hurt me. This is forever. No running. There's nothing we can't overcome together and there's no one else I want at my side. I want to spend the rest of my life with you and die old and happy in your arms. You are my final destination. You are my happy ending. I wouldn't have it any other way." We were both crying at this point. We embraced and shared a sweet kiss. I held her there for an hour or so, whispering in her ear, telling her how much I love her and Noah. It's hard to believe that this isn't a dream. The love of my life, wrapped in my arms and talking about our future together. Life is good.


	8. The Perfect Ring

Chapter 8- The Perfect Ring

*Elliot's POV*

It's been six months since I laid in Olivia's Benson's bed and professed my love to her. Three months ago, she asked me to move in with her and Noah, a question to which I happily said "yes." Living with the love of my life has had its ups and downs, but I wouldn't have it any other way. Noah has captured my heart. He's grown so much and amazes me on a daily basis. I'm so happy, but I want more. The idea came into my head last week when Liv came home after a particularly hard day at the precinct. Despite her bad mood, she put a smile on her face, cooked dinner for the three of us, and went about her normal nightly routine. I was amazed by her strength and grace and made the decision then and there that I was going to ask her to marry me.

I enlisted the help of two of her closest friends, Casey Novak and Alex Cabot, to assist me in the process of finding the perfect ring. They both set aside some time for a Saturday afternoon and we went to a high-end jeweler in East Village. We began by deciding on the shape of the diamond and the metal to be used for the band and setting. We decided on a square shaped princess cut diamond and a white gold band and setting. Alex pointed out a particularly beautiful ring, encrusted with small diamonds and one large princess cut diamond in the center, held up by four white gold posts that were welded to the band. Casey walked over to observe the ring and a pool of tears filled her eyes. Alex followed suit and began to cry as well, both women acting particularly hormonal, I thought. They beckoned me over and when I saw the beautiful piece of hand-crafted jewelry, a pool of tears filled my eyes as well. "This is the ring." I said. "This the ring with which I will make Olivia Marie Benson my fiancée." I hugged Alex and then Casey and went to check out. My next mission was to plan the perfect proposal, and I would need their help.


	9. The Perfect Proposal

Chapter 9- The Perfect Proposal

*Elliot's POV*

We went to Alex's apartment to begin planning the perfect proposal. We threw around ideas for about an hour but couldn't come to an agreement on a plan that would sweep Olivia off her feet. Finally Casey made an intriguing suggestion. "How about a scavenger hunt? You can send her on a hunt, making clues along the way. You can use your favorite places or places that mean something in your relationship." Alex and I both agreed that this would be a fun, romantic, and unique way to ask for her hand so we decided to set a date. Two weeks from today, Saturday, I would make Olivia Benson my wife-to-be.

*Olivia's POV*

I got a call from Casey, asking if I wanted to have a girls' night out with her and Alex in a couple of weeks. It had been awhile since the three of us had gotten together, so I happily accepted the invitation. Two weeks later, I left Noah with Elliot and they picked me up. We went to a café on Fifth Avenue, the same café that Elliot and I always went to when we were hungry after a late night of working a case. Alex excused herself for a few minutes to take a trip to the ladies room and on her way back, her phone fell out of her hand. Bending down to pick it up, a puzzled look came over her face and she asked me, "Olivia, what is under your seat?"

I reached under my chair to find an envelope taped to it, my name written on the front. Suspiciously, I opened the envelope to find a note that read, "Hello, beautiful. Hope you are having a wonderful time. I have a surprise for you girls so follow these clues to get to the place where you will find it. Enjoy your girls' night out. I love you. –El." I was a bit puzzled and showed the letter to Alex and Casey. Intrigued, they both agreed to embark on this scavenger hunt with me, we loved surprises and, having three daughters, Elliot knew that girls really do just wanna have fun. "What's the first clue?" Alex asked me.

At the bottom of the page it read:

CLUE #1: We may not have known it then, but this place is where we had our first date. I cherish the time and conversation I spent with you at this café. I look forward to many more real dates to come. You will find the next clue at the place we first met.

I turned to the girls and said "The next clue is in the squad room, the place he and I first met."

We went to the precinct and on my desk was the second envelope. It read:

CLUE #2: "The first time I saw your beautiful face, I immediately fell in love with you. This place holds so many memories that we have shared together. Good or bad, they have formed who we are, together and as individuals. I fell in love with you for the first time in this very room and I continue to fall in love with you every single day. You will find the next clue in the place where I kissed you for the very first time."

"The next clue is at my apartment, the place he first kissed me. I'm kind of confused why all of these clues are milestones in our relationship but whatever, he has something fun planned for the three of us, I'm sure."

We went to the apartment to find the final clue taped to the door. It read:

CLUE #3: "Here lies the place I first captured your lips. Here lies the place where you captured my heart. The next place you go, you will find the surprise. It's in the heart of Central Park on a bridge that is surrounded by pine trees and white lights. When you find the bridge, you will find the surprise."

"The surprise is apparently in Central Park on a bridge." "What does that bridge have to do with you two?" Alex questioned. "Nothing," I said. "At least nothing I know of."

We went to the park and walked to the pond. About a hundred yards ahead, I saw a bridge and pine trees, all adorned with white lights. We walked to the bridge and there was nothing there. I turned around to face Alex and Casey and they were gone. I stood there, extremely confused. Suddenly, Noah was on the bridge walking toward me. Now I was super freaked out. What was my son doing here, alone in Central Park? And why was he dressed in a tuxedo? Who the hell bought him a tuxedo? Elliot appeared from behind a pine tree and began walking toward me, his crystal blue eyes sparkling and his smile beaming. He, too, was dressed in a tuxedo. He stopped about three feet in front of me and before I could open my mouth to speak, he took my hands in his and began talking.

"Liv. Tonight, I took you to three places that formed who we are together. Three places where we met, conversed, and loved. You are my world, Olivia. You amaze me every day. You are strong and gorgeous and you're the love of my life. I have loved you for forever. You keep me going. You make me strong. You inspire me every day to be a better person than I was the day before. As for Noah, though I haven't known him very long, he has captured my heart. He did it the same way you did, sixteen years ago, by radiating life, love, fearlessness, and light in everything he does. There's no doubt that he is your son. I see you in him every day. I love him so much. So that being said, I'd like to make you my wife and Noah my son. You two are my world. I love you so much, Liv, and I want to spend the rest of my life with you. So…," He said. "Noah, buddy come here." Noah waddled over as Elliot got down on one knee. He picked Noah up, letting him sit on the other knee and said, "Show mommy what's in your pocket." Noah obeyed and used his tiny hands to grab a small, black, velvet box from his coat pocket. He handed it to Elliot and Elliot opened it, revealing a beautiful diamond encrusted ring with a glistening square diamond set in the middle. My eyes filled with tears as he held the box up to me and asked, "Olivia Marie Benson, will you marry me?" His eyes, too, were filled with as he asked the question and tears spilled down my face and I nodded my head violently, responded "yes", and held out my hand as he slipped the ring on my finger. He removed Noah from his lap, stood up, and picked me up as I jumped into his arms, wrapping my legs around his waist and my arms around his neck. Our lips met in an innocent, modest, slow, and sweet kiss. He placed me on the rail of the bridge as our kiss continued. We broke apart and he looked deep into my eyes, whispering, "I love you so much." "I love you too," I replied, "and I can't wait to become your wife." I leaned in to kiss him again and noticed Alex and Casey appear from behind a tree out of the corner of my eye. When we broke, they ran toward us, hugging and congratulating us on our engagement.

"You two knew all along, didn't you?" I said.

They looked at each other, laughed, looked at Elliot, laughed, and then looked at me, laughing and saying "yes." We all had a laugh as Noah walked back up to me, asking me to pick him up. I complied with his request, scooping him up into my arms and he marveled at the shiny new piece of jewelry on my finger. Elliot kissed me once again, quickly, and after the congratulations were over, we all went home.


	10. Wedding Plans

Chapter 10- Wedding Plans

*Olivia's POV*

Two months later, after coming down from the high of being engaged, Elliot and I began to plan the perfect wedding. There were so many details to be sorted out. We had no idea where to start. So we decided to make a list of things to do and cross things off as we finished them.

We began by naming seven people each who we wanted to be our bridesmaids and groomsmen.

I began with the list of bridesmaids:

-Alex Cabot

-Casey Novak

-Amanda Rollins

-Melinda Warner

-Maureen Stabler

-Kathleen Stabler

-Elizabeth Stabler

Elliot then made his list of groomsmen:

-Dickie Stabler

-Fin Tutuola

-John Munch

-Eli Stabler

-Nick Amaro

-Simon Marsden

-Ty Marsden

Some of the important girls in his life became my bridesmaids while some of the important men in my life became his groomsmen.

Out of the fourteen bridesmaids and groomsmen, we then chose a maid of honor and a best man. I chose Alex and Elliot chose Dickie.

"I want Don to walk me down the aisle and give me away. He's the closest thing I have to a father and he has definitely helped form the woman I am today," I said.

"I'm sure he'd be happy to do that, Liv. That's a beautiful idea," Elliot replied.

Next, we decided on a flower girl and a ring bearer. We chose my niece Olivia Marsden to be our flower girl and, of course, Noah to be our ring bearer.

After that, we composed a guest list of over 500 people. We both wanted a big wedding where we could profess our love for one another in front of all of our family and friends.

Elliot insisted on a traditional Catholic ceremony, so we decided to have it at the infamous St. Patrick's Cathedral. Then, we booked the Grand Ballroom at the Plaza Hotel for our reception. The cost of this wedding was going to be sky-high, but we could afford it and after all, you only get married once, right? Well, unless you're Elliot.

After a long day of planning, we cuddled and watched the nightly news, then went to bed.

The next day, my bridesmaids and I met for lunch at a bistro in Chelsea and then went to a nearby bridal shop for a 1:30 appointment. Elliot and I had decided on a turquoise, black, and white color scheme for the wedding, so the consultant pulled a variety of turquoise dresses for the girls to try on. Each of them came out in a satin, knee length dress. Each dress had a different neckline, but the color was uniform. The necklines fit each girl's personality well, I thought, so I asked them if they liked the dresses they had on and they all said "yes" simultaneously. Next, they took me to try on bridal gowns.

After trying on at least twenty five gowns, I slipped into an elegant, pure white gown with a sweetheart neckline that was adorned with beading and fit my curves nicely, flaring out toward the bottom. I'd never felt so beautiful wearing anything in my life. I walked out of the dressing room and the reactions of the girls showed their agreement with me. I had found my dress.

Meanwhile, Elliot and his groomsmen, with the exception of Eli, went to a tuxedo shop on Fifth Avenue to find the perfect formal wear for the occasion. He called me at about 5:00 in the evening to tell me that they had finished their work and were going out for a drink.

After a fun afternoon of finding our dresses, we went out for a celebratory dinner and then said our goodbyes.

I went home to relieve Lucy and put Noah to bed.

I walked into my room and opened a drawer in my dresser that held all of my lingerie. I put on a sexy, peach, satin slip and a black lace thong. I went into the bathroom, fixed my makeup, and curled my hair loosely, then went into the living room and positioned myself on the couch to wait until Elliot arrived home.

Thirty minutes later, I heard the key turn in the doorknob and he walked in, turning the lights on and letting his eyes adjust to the brightness. When he saw me, his jaw dropped and I chuckled. "Come here," I said.

He obeyed and walked over to the couch sitting down and never dropping eye contact with me. I got up and positioned myself on his lap, straddling him. I wrapped my arms around his neck and began placing hot kisses along his jaw line. He let out a deep growl as my lips moved to his pulse point and I began to suck. His hands wandered to my breasts, teasing my nipples through the thin satin fabric. I moved to his shirt and began to unbutton it, eventually pushing it off of his shoulders, revealing his chiseled upper body. Things got even hotter as he pulled my lips down to his, begging for entrance, which I granted almost immediately. Our tongues sought out each other, fighting for dominance and clashing with every hot breath we took. His hands continued to knead my breasts and I whispered, "Bedroom. Now." He picked me up and carried me into our bedroom and laid me on the bed, caressing my inner thighs and telling me how beautiful I was. He pushed the slip up over my stomach and removed my panties with his teeth, throwing them off to the side. As his hands continued to play with my nipples his head moved down to my center and his mouth began kissing my core. He sucked and licked and kissed until I could no longer handle it and I screamed out his name in ecstasy. He thrust his tongue into my core and continued to move in and out, bringing me to climax. He held me in his arms and then I whispered,  
"Your turn." I moved to unbuckle his belt, tossing it off to the side, and unbutton his pants. I slid them down his legs, revealing the tent in his boxers. I slid his boxers down his legs as well and began using my hand to stroke his length up and down. He moaned in pleasure as I quickened the pace and yelled out "Liv, oh my God" as he came in my hands. I licked the sweet liquid off of my hands, swallowing hard. I moved my face back up to meet his as he positioned his member at my entrance, sliding in slowly and establishing a steady thrusting pace. We shared moans and screamed each other's names every so often until we both came in unison and he collapsed onto my body.

*Elliot's POV*

The next morning, I woke up to find that Liv was still asleep. The sun glistened off of her skin as a sheen of sweat covered her. I began placing hot kisses on her shoulders until she woke up. "Good morning, beautiful," I said. "Hi," she replied. "Have you been watching me sleep?" She asked. "Yes," I answered, "I find it very sexy." We got out of bed, got dressed, woke up Noah and got him ready for the day, shared a quick peck on the lips, and both headed off to work.


	11. Cold Feet

Chapter 11: Cold Feet

*Olivia's POV*

I woke on the morning of my wedding day to the sound of birds chirping coming through my bedroom window. Elliot and Noah stayed at Fin's house last night. Being the traditional Catholic boy that he is, it would be wrong to sleep together before our wedding night...oops. But I let him have last night because I knew it was important to him.

It was around 8 am and all the girls and I had hair appointments at 10.

So, I got up, took a shower, brushed my teeth, and ate breakfast.

Alex and Casey went in together on a limo to chauffeur me around to all of the pre-wedding events. The limo arrived at 9:00 am and we were on our way to the salon.

The girls were already there, waiting for me and we took our place on the waiting room. They called my name first and I followed the very sexy male hair stylist back to his vanity. I laughed to myself on the way thinking I would soon be a married woman and very sexy men would no longer be game. I also laughed because there was a 99.99% chance that he was gay.

"How would you like me to style your hair, Miss Benson?" He asked. After realizing that would be the last time anyone would refer to me as "Miss Benson" I pulled out a magazine from my purse and revealed to him the picture I wanted him to use as a guideline while styling my hair.

Two hours later, he spun the chair around and revealed his work in the mirror. I looked up to see my bangs French braided across the top of my head and secured with a crystal-encrusted bobby pin. The rest of my hair was curled tightly and each curl was lined up into a beautiful bun at the base of my neck, adorned with a beautiful beaded hair accessory. "What do you think?" He asked.

I was already crying. "It's beautiful," I replied. "It's absolutely perfect." He smiled and the girls had already been done for about a half an hour. We left the salon and made our way to the spa.

When we arrived at the spa, they called my name first. I had my nails and does done, French style, with a sparkling-white design detailing each nail. After completing my nails, it was time to get my makeup done.

An hour later, they revealed my face in the mirror and I'd never felt more beautiful. The makeup wasn't to heavy. I t perfectly accentuated all of my best features and hid all of my flaws. I'd never felt more beautiful. I had to keep myself from crying, so not to ruin my eye makeup.

I waited about 15 minutes for the rest of the girls to be done and we decided to meet back at my apartment for champagne and to put our dresses on. When we arrived in my apartment, we made a few toasts, shared some laughs and went to go put on our dresses and jewelry. I decided I'd put on my dress last, so I could help the rest of the girls get into theirs. Each bridesmaid wore a turquoise knee length dress with a sweetheart neckline that gathered into a beautiful jewel-adorned bustle at the center of the chest. I helped each girl get their dress zipped and into place.

Olivia was watching cartoons and I walked over to her and knelt down so our faces were level. "Are you ready to put on your princess dress, Livvy?" I asked her. She nodded her head up and down excitedly and we went to get her little white dress put on.

After everyone was dressed, it was my turn. I headed into my bedroom, closed the door behind me and just sat on my bed for what felt like forever but was really only ten minutes. My thoughts were interrupted when Alex and Casey came knocking on the door, asking if I needed any help. "Can one or both of you come in here?," I asked.

They entered the room and, upon noticing that my dress was no where near my body, a worried look overcame their faces. As my two best friends, they knew me better than anyone else, so they sensed my hesitation. Alex took her place, sitting on my right side and Casey on my left. Each placed an arm on my shoulder and I was comforted by the silence that we sat in, as we knew what each of us was thinking.

Casey, breaking the ice, asked "You're getting cold feet, aren't you?" I nodded. "I mean there's nothing I want more than to marry Elliot. He is truly the love of my life and he has been for 16 years. But they say 50% of marriages end in divorce and eventually that newlywed bliss is going to fade and we're going to have to face the harsh realities of life. I believe we're strong enough to get through anything because we've already been through so much together, but there's still that part of me that worries about everything falling apart," I said.

"Olivia," Alex chimed in. "It is perfectly natural for you to have these feelings. Marriage is a scary thing but love conquers all and from what we've seen, you and Elliot have such a great love for one another that nothing in this world would be strong enough to tear you two apart. And just think of it this way: you've been through so much together already that the universe is going to give you a break sooner or later and you can count on that being one of the most blissful periods of your life. So go into that bathroom, put on that beautiful dress, get your ass in that limo, and go say "I do" to the man you love."

Casey and I laughed at her forcefulness. "I have to agree, Liv." Casey said. "Let's go get you hitched."

I laughed again, pulling them in for a group hug and saying "I don't know where I'd be without you two. Thank you for being the best friends a girl could ask for. I love you so much."

"We love you too," they replied in unison. "Now go get into that dress and let's get this show on the road," Alex said.

I obeyed, walking into the bathroom, taking the dress out of its protective bag, and unzipped the back. I slipped into the dress, pulling it up and asked Casey to come in and zip it for me. She complied and when she was finished, I walked back out into my bedroom, stood in front of my full-sized mirror, and smiled, trying again not to cry. I'd never felt so gorgeous in my entire life. I'd never felt so important. This day was all about me and my almost-husband. My happiness had reached a high point.

I walked out of my bedroom, down the hall, and into the common room and all I could hear was "oh my god" and "you're beautiful" coming from every set of lips in the room. "Thank you, ladies. You're all so beautiful too. Now let's go get married!"

With that, we headed outside and got into the limo. We were on our way to the church and I couldn't help but think, "today, I become Mrs. Elliot Stabler." I smiled to myself at the thought and could hardly wait for the adventures that life had in store for us.


	12. Til Death Do Us Part

*Elliot's POV*

Pachabel's Canon began to play and I walked out onto the altar to find a cathedral full of men and women in uniform and our friends and family in the front rows. Kathy and her husband came and when her eyes met mine, she winked. And I knew that we had made the right decision for both of us to be happy.

The ushers opened the doors at the back of the church and little Olivia waddled out, scattering petals along the aisle, preparing the way for the beautiful bride who was about to become my wife. Noah followed as Olivia passed the cross-section of the pews and he smiled the whole way down. He had no idea what was going on, but his happiness was contagious to everyone present. I couldn't wait to make him my son.

Lizzie was next to walk through the doorway. My little girl. All grown up. Taking the world by storm. And I don't think she ever looked as beautiful as she did when she walked down that aisle. She met Eli half way, lowering her height a bit so she could lock arms with her little brother, and the two continued down their path.

Kathleen began her stride as her siblings passed the midsection and her face told all. She locked eyes with me and smiled. She was one of the first people to bring my feelings for Olivia to my attention. And I think that she was always rooting for us. And her blessing meant the world to me. She met Ty half way, also having to lower herself a bit to accommodate his height, and they continued their walk down the aisle.

Melinda Warner appeared next. She'd been a friend to both Olivia and I since the beginning of our partnership. She knew there was something there. And I was happy that she was there to see it come full circle. She met Simon half way. I didn't like the guy at first. I didn't like the pain he seemed to cause Olivia. I didn't like the trouble he got into or the situations that he put her in the middle of. But, as time passed, I realized that she was the one who put herself into those situations. And, in the end, he never really caused any trouble. And the look on his face as they continued down the aisle expressed his happiness for his sister. And that was all the assurance I needed to know that he loved her.

Maureen was next to walk in. And my breath got caught in my chest as I imagined her walking down the aisle in a white dress a few months from now. She will make an amazing wife. And if they choose, an amazing mother as well. My beautiful little girl. Her smile beamed as she walked. Her eyes sparkled. She amazes me every day. She met Nick half way through. I heard of him when he took my place. I remember times where I would sit alone, hating that someone else was working with my partner. Protecting her. Watching her. And then I met the guy. And I realized how alike we are. And I realized how deeply he cared for Olivia. And I was happy that a man like him was the one to take my place.

Amanda Rollins began to make her way down the center of the church. She truly was a beautiful person, inside and out. I wondered how the men of SVU could make it through a day of work with two of the world's most beautiful women hanging around. Liv had told me stories about her. About how she had grown since joining the squad. About how her passion and drive inspired everyone around her. And, although I did not know her very well yet, I looked forward to becoming her friend. She greeted Fin half way. I used to have mixed feelings about the guy. But, at the end of the day, he loved and cared for those around him. And that was all that mattered.

Casey walked through the doorway next. When I first met her, I was nervous. We were so used to the way Alex worked and we had become quite good friends with her. So it was hard for me to accept this new ADA. But her compassionate heart and her thirst for justice prevailed early on. And I knew that I was in the presence of a friend. She locked arms with John Munch and they continued their stride. John was the truest and most wonderful friend a man could ask for. He was there for me in my darkest times and he celebrated with me in my brightest times. He made everyone around him better.

Alex graced the room shortly after and the time had almost come. Alex was the fiercest and most driven woman I had ever come to know. But she also knew how and when to let others help her. She knew when to accept and embrace her weakness. And that was her biggest strength. I found a friend in Alex Cabot soon after meeting her. And felt so blessed that she was there to witness and celebrate this monumental moment in our lives. She met Dickie and they continued to walk down the aisle. All of the dreams I ever had for him were finally coming to light. I often worried about him when he fell in with the wrong crowd or made a life-altering mistake. But he had grown up to be an extraordinary young man. And his future was so very bright. And I was anxious and excited to watch him as his life continued to unfold. The maid of honor and the best man reached the altar and the Canon began to fade away.

Olivia never really had an established faith. In our various talks about the topic over the years, she always said that she believed in something greater but was never really introduced to a specific person or thing that she could worship. She dreaded the idea of walking down the aisle to "Here Comes the Bride" because, in her words, "the was nothing more cliché in the world than walking down the aisle to 'Here Comes the Bride.'" So she asked me if I knew of any spiritual songs that would be more fitting. And I remembered a song from my days as choir member in elementary school. It was titled "How Beautiful" and the majority of the song was about the beauty of Christ. The third verse, however, went as follows:

"How beautiful the radiant bride, who waits for her groom with his light in her eyes.

How beautiful when humble hearts give the fruit of pure lives so that others may live."

So I suggested the song and she listened to a recording. The song ended and her decision was made. And the intro began to play. And my heart pounded violently in my chest as I awaited the final opening of those doors from which my bride would emerge any second now.

*Olivia's POV*

"Are you ready?" I heard a gentle voice say, as it interrupted my musings.

I looked up to find the smiling face of Don Cragen beaming back at me.

"Almost," I replied. "I just want to say thank you. Thank you for everything. Thank you for bringing me into this squad. For partnering me with the man I am about to marry. For being the most amazing father figure a girl could ask for. For taking chances on me. For every single thing you have done. Because you are the source of every good thing in my life. And I am so deeply grateful."

"Taking chances on you was never something I had to think twice about. Your talent and compassion earned you my trust on day one. Partnering you with him was the easiest decision I ever made, because I saw it. I saw it before anyone else did. And I'm glad the two of you finally opened your eyes long enough to see it too. Watching you grow into this amazing woman that you've become has been one of my greatest joys. You are the strongest, brightest, most loving, most compassionate individual I have ever had the privilege of knowing. And I am honored that you have allowed me to be a part of your journey thus far. And I cannot wait to see where this journey leads you next. I love you, Olivia. And I am so very proud of you."

We embraced for a few short moments and, when we parted, we locked arms and gave the usher the "ok" to open the doors. And then I saw him. And every fear I'd ever had suddenly left me. And a heart filled with love and mind filled with hope and joy took its place. And, for the first time in my life, I was sure of what I was doing.

*Elliot's POV*

The doors opened. And there she stood. My heart beat quickened and my breath got caught in my chest. How did I ever get so lucky as to meet and fall in love with the most beautiful, passionate, amazing woman in the world? She took my breath away with everything she said, everything she did, every move she made. But, today especially, I was at a loss for words, for thoughts. The only thought on my mind was how absolutely beautiful she looked. She was radiant. She was perfect. And she was mine.

Our eyes locked as they began their journey toward the altar and she smiled. Oh how I loved to see her smile. I smiled back at her in awe of everything she was. And I waited to take her hands in mine and make every promise to her of a beautiful life together.

It took what felt like an eternity for them to finally reach the altar. When they did, she and Don exchanged a kiss on the cheek and he turned his attention to me. He leaned in, looked me in the eyes, and said "I knew. Before I assigned the two of you as partners, I knew that I would be handing her over to become your wife one day. It took you long enough, but I am so very happy that the two of you finally got it together. You take good care of her, you hear me? I love you both more than you'll ever know."

He pulled me in for a hug and took his seat in the front row. I turned my attention back to my beautiful bride and took her hands in mine. I led her up the stairs of the altar and we took our place in front of the priest, ready to become husband and wife.

*Narrator's POV *

As the music faded, the priest began his introduction.

"My dear friends, you have come together in this church so that the Lord may strengthen and seal your love in the presence of the Church's minister and this community. Christ abundantly blesses this love and now he enriches and strengthens you by this special sacrament so that you may assume the duties of marriage in mutual and lasting fidelity. And so, in the presence of the church, I ask you to state your intentions.

Elliot and Olivia, have you come here freely and without reservations to give yourselves to each other in marriage?"

"We have," they replied in unison.

"Will you honor each other as man and wife for the rest of your lives?"

"We will."

"Will you accept children lovingly from God and bring them up according to the law of Christ and his church?"

"We will."

"Since it is your intention to enter into marriage, please join hands and declare your consent before God and his Church."

After they took each other's hands, the priest continued.

"Elliot, at this time, I ask that you make your vows to Olivia."

Elliot nodded and turned his attention to his bride.

"I, Elliot, take you, Olivia, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love and honor you all the days of my life."

"Olivia, at this time, I ask that you make your vows to Elliot."

She gave his hands a squeeze before beginning, and he smiled.

"I, Olivia, take you, Elliot, to be my husband. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love and honor you all the days of my life."

Their faces beamed as they looked lovingly into each other's eyes.

"You have declared your consent before the Church. May the Lord, in his goodness, strengthen your consent and fill you both with his blessings. May we please have the rings?"

Alex bent down to grab Noah's hand and led him over to them. They both bent down to retrieve their rings from him and Olivia kissed his cheek saying "thank you, my love."

They stood back up and the priest began to speak again.

"Lord, bless these rings which we bless in your name. Grant that those who wear them may always have a deep faith in each other. May they do your will and always live together in peace, good will, and love."

He gave Elliot the cue to begin.

"Olivia, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity," he said as he slid the diamond band on her finger.

"Elliot, take this ring as a sign of my love and fidelity," she stated, placing this ring on his finger.

The priest then spoke.

"May the Lord bless you with many happy years together, so that you may enjoy the rewards of a good life. And, after you have served him loyally in his kingdom on earth, may he welcome you to his eternal kingdom in Heaven. And now, Elliot and Olivia, by the power vested in me by the Holy Catholic Church and the state of New York, I know pronounce you husband and wife."

He turned his attention to the groom, saying, "Elliot, you may kiss your bride."

As smiles stretched across both of their faces, Elliot pulled her close and brought her lips to his. He kissed her softly and sweetly as every spectator in the church stood and applauded. When they broke, the priest spoke again for the last time, saying "Ladies and gentlemen, it is my great honor to introduce to you: Mr. and Mrs. Elliot Stabler."

The applause rose again and continued for a few moments before dying down. The recessional song, Every Breath You Take by The Police, began to play and the newly married couple made their way down the aisle and out into the world awaiting them, ready to begin their lives together.

The end!

Thank you guys so much for reading! I had so much fun writing this story and I know I didn't update very often but I hope it ended well for you! I'm starting another fic right now so stay tuned! I love you guys SO MUCH! Thank you again! EO for life! xoxo -Meghan

Be sure to follow me on Twitter, Instagram, and Tumblr! All are meghan_walsh14. I post a lot of fan stuff on Twitter and Tumblr and occasionally on Instagram as well!


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